DESCRIPTION

A port of the PlayStation 2 original, Burnout focuses on high-speed, reckless races through cities teeming with life. The objective is to race against and beat three computer-controlled cars with a vehicle of your choosing. The caveat, however, is that these races take place in cities populated with civilian vehicles simply going about their daily routine. Not only do competitors have to contend with one another, but they must also avoid crashing into the hundreds of cars scattered around each "track."

Dangerous maneuvers such as weaving in and out of oncoming traffic, speeding through busy intersections, or power sliding dangerously close to other vehicles are classified as "drifts" and "near-misses" and subsequently reward the player with an increment to their Boost Meter. When filled, this meter can be used to provide a momentary boost of speed, replete with blurring and camera effects to enhance the sense of speed.

Crashes are a common yet spectacular occurrence. Life-like crash and damage physics see cars roll, flip, and spin causing windows to shatter and metal to bend. Each crash is also assigned a monetary value depicting the amount of damage that was caused to all vehicles involved in the accident. At the conclusion of each race, the most impressive crashes can be reviewed, with players controlling the camera, zoom, and motion blur functions. While visually pleasing, these crashes impede your progress in the race and deplete your Boost Meter, and thus should be avoided at all costs.

Single-player modes include Time Attack, Single Race, and Championship, the last of which sees players competing on 14 courses across the U.S. and Europe. A Special mode also grants access to any secret modes that have been unlocked, including head-to-head matchups that provide the opportunity to race against a single CPU opponent. Once defeated, the opponent's car will be unlocked for future use. A Free Run mode can be unlocked that removes all pedestrian vehicles from the city, thus allowing racers to compete unhindered by gridlocked traffic. A two-player head-to-head mode allows players to race against one another in split-screen competition. The GameCube incarnation sports improved graphics, runs at 60 frames per second, and supports progressive scan. ~ Gavin Frankle, All Game Guide